Download Fact Sheet 2 - Great Lakes Fishery Commission

FACT
SHEET 2
The Great Lakes Fishery
A world-class resource!
T
he Great Lakes were formed about ten thousand years ago when
glaciers receded from North America at
the end of the last ice age. These vast
inland seas contain one-fifth of the world’s
fresh surface water and are home to 177
species of fish. The Great Lakes fishery is a
key feature of the region’s history, culture,
environment, and economy. Fish make
the lakes great!
The Great Lakes fishery
The Great Lakes commercial, recreational,
and tribal fisheries are collectively valued at
more than $7 billion annually and support
more than 75,000 jobs. Lake whitefish,
walleye, yellow perch, and ciscoes are the
foundation of the commercial fishery while
salmon, walleye, trout, and muskellunge
(among many other species) help comprise
the world-class recreational fishery. To
support the millions of anglers that come to
the lakes from around the globe, and
to rehabilitate stressed fisheries, agencies
stock fish in the Great Lakes each year. A
healthy, vibrant Great Lakes fishery is good
for the economy and the environment.
Native fish species
The Great Lakes support 139 native species.
Sculpins, gizzard shad, several species of
shiners, and ciscoes sustain top predators
including lake trout, walleye, large and
smallmouth bass, and brook trout. In addition, some forage species such as ciscoes
and yellow perch provide recreational and
commercial fishing opportunities.
BY THE NUMBERS
• 7,227,424,732
Minimum economic impact in dollars
of the Great Lakes fishery
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177
Fish species currently in the Great
Lakes and their tributaries
139
Native fish species
34
Known non-native fish species
4
Fish species of undetermined origin
61
Fish species considered to be
threatened or endangered
18
Fish species extinct or extirpated from
at least one Great Lake
Working together to improve and
perpetuate Great Lakes fishery resources
Fisheries and Oceans
Canada
GREAT LAKES FISHERY COMMISSION www.glfc.int 2100 Commonwealth Blvd, Ste. 100, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105 • 734-662-3209
Non-native fish species
At least 34 non-native fish species are
present in the Great Lakes. These species
have been introduced through multiple
vectors including migration around
bar­riers and through canals, intentional
introduction by humans (most notably,
three species of Pacific salmon), discharge of ballast water from cargo ships,
escapement from aquaculture facilities,
and release of live bait.
Non-native species that proliferate and
cause harm to an ecosystem are called
“invasive species.” Invasive species often
have a widely disruptive effect on native
fish populations through competition for
food and habitat or predation. The result
is often a ripple effect throughout the
food web that leads to ecological and
economic harm. Sea lampreys, ale­­­wives,
and quagga mussels are among the worst
invasive species in the Great Lakes.
Lake. Today, 61 fish species in the Great
Lakes are considered to be threatened or
endangered.
Extirpated and
endangered species
The future
During the previous two centuries, the
fish fauna of the Great Lakes has been
altered dramatically due to increasing
human populations, the global movement
of goods (which has contributed to a rise
in the introduction and spread of invasive
species), and over-fishing. As a result
of these pressures, 18 native species,
including several species of ciscoes that
historically comprised the bulk of the fish
biomass in most of the Great Lakes, have
been extirpated from at least one Great
The Great Lakes fishery is a Canadian and
U.S. treasure. It attracts millions of anglers
and continues to provide jobs, recreation,
subsistence, and food. The fishery is also
integral to a healthy Great Lakes environment. The future of the fishery looks bright.
Management agencies in both nations,
through stewardship and rehabilitation
efforts, remain capable and committed to
addressing and anticipating the challenges
that confront this amazing resource.
Some information on this fact sheet from: Roth, B.M., N.E. Mandrak, T.R. Hrabik,
G.G. Sass, and J. Peters. 2013. Fishes and decapod crustaceans of the Great
Lakes basin. Pgs. 105–135 in W.W. Taylor, A.J. Lynch, and N.J. Leonard, eds.
Great Lakes fishery policy and management: a binational perspective. 2nd ed.
Michigan State University Press, East Lansing.
Photos and illustrations: M. Gaden, MI Sea Grant, MN Sea Grant, D. Jude,
T. Lawrence, A. Miehls, A. Muir, NYSDEC